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  • More Congolese Soldiers Defect to M23 Rebel Group

    {{About Seventeen soldiers including seven senior officers of the Congolese national army (FARDC) of units formerly based in the main town of Lubero territory have defected during the night of June 21 to join the M23 rebels.}}

    Local Congolese media has reported that the defecting soldiers have all joined the rebellion led by the M23 in Rutshuru.

    Col. Serushago, Commander of the Congolese National Police (PNC) / Lubero told local media that the seventeen deserters left their camp at about 22 hours (local time), Wednesday, June 20.

    They took the direction of Kasuo, 45 km Southwest of Lubero.

    These deserters assured custody of Lt.Col. Douglas, in charge of information within the FARDC to Lubero fifth sector, which is “also absent from his post last Monday,” the source said.

    It is also reported that Kasuo locality is, since last May, under the control of Mai-Mai Kakule.

    Since last weekend, another group of former soldiers of the National Congress for People’s Defense (CNDP), led by Lt.Col. Mboneza, arrived in kasuo village from the forest of Beni via Mangurejipa.

    Col. Mboneza who was the commander of the 808th regiment second FARDC in Beni also defected last Sunday.

    Presence of armed groups in the area has created panic among the local population most of whom have started fleeing to the towns of Lubero, Kitsombiro or Kirumba a source noted to local press.

  • Customer Care Trainers Recieve Extra Skills

    {{Focused on addressing the major causes of poor customer service, Rwanda Development Board has launched a two day training of trainers in customer care.}}

    According to a press release from RDB, the training is part of a series of initiatives of the Na Yombi campaign, which was launched by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) geared towards improving the quality of services across all sectors in the country.

    Apollo Munanura, RDB’s Head of Department for Human Capital and Institutional Development noted;

    “While RDB has been training and providing orientation to various groups about customer care, this new training is designed to equip trainers with knowledge and skills to address the root causes of poor or indifferent customer service, specifically in timeliness, communication and problem solving.”

    This training explores foundations of good customer service, critical pillars of customer care including timeliness, problem solving and communication.

    Research conducted in 2010 to establish the level of satisfaction of users of services provided in 7 sectors, both public and private by the Boston-based consulting firm, On The Frontier Group, revealed that customer expectations with regard to these three pillars of customer care were minimally or in some instances never met.

    The 40 trainers who are being trained are drawn from 18 organizations including the Private Sector Federation, Rwanda Tourism University College, School of Finance and Banking, Rwanda Association of Customer Care Professionals, Mount Kenya University, Akilah Institute, Adventist University, Rwanda Utility and Regulatory Authority, among others.

    Yves Ngenzi, the manager of the Customer Care Unit at the Rwanda Development Board said, “trainers will be resourceful to their institutions in all customer care matters by conducting formal and regular training of customer facing staff.”

    “They will also mentor selected employees to transfer the right attitude and skills in customer care.”

    RDB will continue to upgrade the skills of the trainers by providing them with other tools to evaluate the level of customer satisfaction in their respective institutions.

    It will also endeavor encourage them to provide their training and technical assistance to organizations which might seek to benefit from their services.

    At the end of the training, trainers are expected to preparetraining and skills transfer plan to ensure that the knowledge they have acquired is transmitted to as many of their colleagues as possible and that best practices in customer care are disseminated as widely as possible.

  • Drummers Temporarily Takeover Kigali City

    {{This (Thursday) lunchour, Kigali City Center business came to a standstill when dozens of men and women clad in traditional Rwandan attire walked and staged at Kigali City Tower drumming nonstop.}}

    Business temporarily closed as many dwellers walked to take a glimpse of a surprise event that lasted nearly thirty minutes.

    Many People kept asking why the drumming was suddenly at the city tower.

    Several onlookers claimed it was an event to officially inaugurate the highest building in Rwanda( KCT).

    Traffic Police, ensured the drummers were safe during their walk to the city tower, walking from the main round about towards Rubangura shopping complex and staged at Kigali city tower walkway.

    IGIHE Was right on time at the scene. Below we bring you the unedited event captured on still photos.

    The Drum, is symbolic instrument of Rwanda. It part of life in Rwandan tradition.

    Thus 147 drummers from the 5 Provinces of Rwanda headed by Damascus Mbarushimana brought Kigali city to a standstil for thirty minutes of uninterupted drumming.

    15 minutes of jubilation, for 15 minutes launch the Music Festival as it should to Kigali, 15 minutes between modernity and traditon with the drums in the foreground and the Kigali City Tower in the background.

    This was simply a Music Festival event organized by the Institution for the Franco-Rwanda in partnership with Professional Drummers, supported by the University and Ingoma Nshya Nationale of Butare and under the benevolence of the Rouère security of Kigali, Kigali City Council and Ministry of Culture.

  • Army Week to Mark 50th Independence

    {{The Rwanda Defense Forces have launched an army week to commemorate the 50th Independence and 18th Liberation celebrations through provision of outreach Health Care Services to the needy population.}}

    The Army Week Healthcare program to be conducted by Rwanda Military hospital will cover patients in Rusizi and Nyamasheke districts from 24- 30 June.

    According to the RDF leadership, the Army Medical Outreach to the needy population signifies true liberation and Independence, as a healthy population translates to a human security that the national leadership strives to achieve for all Rwandans.

    The RDF not only defends the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country but engages in many other activities aimed at true independence of Rwandans, as stressed by the RDF Leadership.

    About eight thousand people of Rusizi and Nyamasheke districts will benefit from this medical outreach whereby Rwanda Military Hospital will deploy a specialized multidisciplinary medical team made up of orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists, dermatologists, radiologists, gynecologists and other specialists to help the community.

    About 180 medical doctors and nurses including twenty six specialist doctors will leave Kigali on Sunday 24 June 2012 this week to the two remote districts whose population has no access to specialized services often available in urban and referral hospitals.

    They will work hand in hand with local doctors to treat citizens at different Health Centres of Bushenge, Kibogora and Karengera in Nyamasheke district and Gihundwe, Nkanka, Muganza and Mibirizi in Rusizi district.

    The official launch will be held at Gihundwe District Hospital on Monday 25th June 2012.

  • Prof. Munyanziza Laid to Rest

    {{Prof. Esiron Munyanziza has been laid to rest. The Academician died on Monday 18 June in a surprising manner that has left relatives and residents shocked. He was burried on Wednesday at Ngoma public cemetry in Huye district.}}

  • ICPAR Trains Institutions on New Auditing Standards

    {{The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Rwanda (ICPAR), held a workshop June 20, to equip those charged with responsibilities related to audits of financial statements with the new skills in current audit program and procedures.}}

    ICPAR is a Professional Accountancy Organization (PAO) mandated by law to regulate the Accounting profession in the republic of Rwanda.

    Speaking to the press during the seminar; Peter Rutaremara ICPAR president said, “Practical approach in this seminar will impart skills on how to audit in financial statement.”

    “We are training them on international standards in auditing and how it is being done internally.This is to refresh them and to make sure what they are doing is in compliance with international auditing standards,” he added.

    Rutaremara also said that in auditing every time there is a new development and that such workshop is to keep them updated and to help them overcome challenges in the particular field.

    He further noted that among the challenges auditors go through is mainly time to update themselves on the current programs saying they always busy.

    Over 50 participants from the cross cutting fields including; Professional Accountants, Audit Practitioners, Internal Auditors, Audit Consultants, among others turned up for the one day seminar held at Lemigo Hotel in Kigali.

    Among the trainees; Leger Iradutiza from GPO Partners Rwanda Ltd, a cabinet of External Auditors said, “I applaud the training it is in the exact line with our work as auditors, and they taught us new standards to help us perform well during our work.”

    According to ICPAR; compliance to International Standards on Auditing continues to be a real challenge to the professional Accountants and Auditors.

    Participants were trained on Audit Planning, Audit of the statement of Financial Position, Audit of the Statement of Comprehensive Income, and also Audit Completion.

    The case of Rwanda is also highlighted by the 2008 World Bank study on compliance with accounting and auditing standards.

    The International Standards on Auditing Clarity Project commissioned by the International Accounting and Auditing Standards Board (IAASB) IN 2008 requires Audit Firms and Practitioners to implement the introduced significant changes as soon as is practicable.

  • Only 42,300 Rwandan Men Circumcised

    {{Circumcision of males in Rwanda has of recent gained momentum. Its voluntary and has major health advantages especially in reducing the risk of acquring HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

    In an exclusive interview with Dr. Vincent Mutabazi ({photo above}), IGIHE posed various Questions aimed at seiving through the whole idea and process of circumcision.

    Dr. Mutabazi is in charge of new circumcision system (PrePex)in Rwanda. Below are excerpts of the detailed original interview.}}

    {{What is the major purpose of circumision?}}

    Significantly reducing the lifetime risk of acquiring HIV among males via circumcision.

    {{What is the level of awareness of the new circumcision method (PrePex)?}}

    The device is mostly known in regions where a PrePex campaign took place and in which the device is used on a regular basis – Kigali, Nyamata and Gicumbi district.

    So far approximately 2300 PrePex circumcision procedures have been performed in Rwanda.

    {{Some people resist circumcision saying it is expensive yet painful. Whats the truth?}}

    Those claims are true for surgical circumcision however, when circumcising is done with the PrePex device there is only minor discomfort and pain is significantly lower than with a surgical procedure (this fact was verified during a clinical study comparing PrePex circumcision with surgical circumcision).

    As for the cost for now the procedure is free of charge.

    Regardless all of the above, the health benefits of male circumcision outweigh all such objections

    {{Ministry of health (RHCC) has a plan of making all men circumcised. What is the current level of progress on circumcision?}}

    The Ministry is now working to implement the first phase of voluntary male circumcision scale up using PrePex device. The 1st phase will involve 10000 circumcisions in three hospitals in Kigali region.

    In Rwanda, the following men have been circumcised so far in Rwanda,
    40,000 – surgically circumcised
    2300 – Circumcised using PrePex device

    {{What are your plans of introducing this method in other health centers?}}

    The procedure can be executed anywhere by certified health workers (Nurses) who took part and successfully completed official training course at Rwanda Military Hospital.

    We have just completed a campaign at Byumba District Hospital and are preparing for a campaign under Army week in Cyangugu district in 3 hospitals.

    The future plan is to have teams working out of health centers and not only hospitals.

    Our main plan is to spread the device throughout the country over the upcoming months. The Ministry of Health is constantly working to achieve this aim.

    The procedure has been adopted in Kigali, Nyamata, Gicumbi and in two weeks it will initiate at Cyangugu.

    {{PrePex is still a Rwandan product. Will other countries adopt it?}}

    For clarification, PrePex was developed by Circ MedTech. Rwanda is the first country to clinically study and adopt the device.

    We also are the first country to receive WHO recommendation to begin scale up with this device following elaborate scientific validation of the safety, superiority over surgery and simplicity in the hands of nurses.

    The PrePex Center of Excellence was established here in Rwanda and we will be training the region on the use of the device.

    Rwanda was followed by Zimbabwe who is now completing the clinical evaluation of the device under WHO guidelines.We trained their teams here in Rwanda as well as locally in Zimbabwe.

    We are also hosting delegations from the region and the world who are interested in learning more about this innovation.

  • Sudan Opposition Calls to Overthrow Bashir

    {{As opposition forces in Sudan call for the overthrow of Field Marshal Bashir’s regime, the Sudanese Armed forces attacked a disputed border zone inside South Sudan killing four people.}}

    The attacked which was repulsed by the SPLA troops, occurred Tuesday.

    The Commissioner of Manyo County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State, Mr Al-Taieb Okeij Ajang, said Sudanese troops attacked Kaka Al-Tijaria, one of the six disputed border zones.

    Sudanese opposition forces slammed the recent austerity measures announced by Presient Omer Al-Bashir to overcome the severe economic and called to overthrow the regime.

    In a call to topple the regime, the Sudanese Communist Party said the plans announced by Bashir last Monday are only “administrative measures” that do not bring true and radical solutions to end the economic collapse the country is witnessing.

    The communist party called on the Sudanese “to take to the streets to overthrow the regime”, stressing the government did not leave any other alternative.

    The opposition forces say the austerity plan announced by the government did not affect the huge budgets of the army, police, security apparatus, and sovereign sector which acquire 70% of wages and salaries line or 56% of the whole 2012 budget.

    The communist party said only 30% of the budget is concerned with the drastic measures including the cut of 380 constitutional positions.

    Students continue to protest against the government for the fourth day in Khartoum chanting “the people want to overthrow the regime” while the riot police use tear gas to break up the demonstration.

  • Ghana President Proves He is Alive

    {{Although Ghana President John Atta Mills confirmed that he is indeed alive at a press conference, rumours of his death are still spreading within Ghana.

    President Atta Mills condemned rumours of his death doing the rounds in the country.}}

    The President had been out of the public limelight for more than a week.

    The rumours claiming he was in a coma, were ignited after the President scheduled a trip to the US where he was to undergo a medical check-up.

    Just before his departure on June 16, President Mills called a press conference at Accra’s international airport to quash the rumours, adding that he would be back home “after a few days”.

    The fact that President Atta Mills was going for a medical check-up seemed to back up those who were saying he had fallen sick.

    Until then, phone-ins and social media sites had been humming people seeking to verify the rumours.

    It is not the first time speculation on President Mills’ health had been flying about.

  • Massai Warriors Kill Six Lions

    {{Masai warriors of Kenya have reportedly fled to Tanzania after they killed six lions in the night of Wednesday.}}

    The lions had allegedly strayed from the Nairobi National Park into a home in Ilkeek-Lemedungi Village, Kitengela killing 28 sheep and goats.

    The battle between the Lions and Massai warriors lasted about five hours.

    One warriors arm was mauled by a lion during the fearce battle. Two lions managed to escape.

    When the Lions attcked a home, the livestock owner raised an alarm and about 50 young men turned up with spears, pangas and swords.

    Others came in vehicles and used full lights to herd the eight stray lions into a miniature tomb where the warriors butchered them.

    The massai warriors are known to be fearless normads who have traditionally fended off Lions attacking their livestock.

    Witnesses said three armed Kenya Wildlife Service game wardens arrived at 3am and for about an hour, they prevailed in vain on the warriors not to kill the animals.

    The warriors grew restless waiting for game wardens, veterinary officers with every passing second, and turned on the animals in what they said was “Operation Linda Ng’ombe”.

    “We killed them in less than 10 minutes because game wardens were slow to act. Why do they (lions) kill our animals and they are our only source of livelihood?” asked a resident who refused to give his name for fear of reprisals.

    The warriors vowed to kill more lions until the government fenced off the park and compensated them for losses running into millions of shillings.